Auckland Cup

Auckland Cup
	Group I race
	Beau Vite,1940 winner
Location	Ellerslie Racecourse; Auckland, New Zealand
Inaugurated	1874
Race type	Thoroughbred – Flat racing
Website	www.ellerslie.co.nz
Race information
Distance	3200m (2 miles)
Surface	Turf
Track	right-handed
Qualification	Three-year-olds and up
Weight	Handicap
Purse	NZ$500,000

The Auckland Cup is an annual race held by the Auckland Racing Club (ARC). It is an Open Handicap for thoroughbred racehorses competed on the flat turf over 3200 metres (two miles) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. The race is graded as a Group One (G1) and was first contested in 1874.

History

The first meeting of the [Auckland Racing] Club was in May 1874. One of the events, run over a distance of 1 ¹&fras1;₂ miles, was named the Auckland Cup. This race was won by Mr. J Watt's three-year-old Batter. At the Summer Meeting of 1874 the Auckland Cup was run on Boxing Day over a distance of two miles and in subsequent published records of the club this race is shown as being the first official, recognised Auckland Cup contest.^[1]

This race was won by Templeton who must have been an impressive horse as to inspire Thomas Bracken (composer of 'God Defend New Zealand')^[2] to write a requiem of sorts to his fading prowess called Old Templeton. The day was reviewed positively in the 28 December issue of the New Zealand Herald,^[3] and was found to be absent of ‘sheanannaking’ and ‘hanky-panky’ and that everything was ‘above-board’ and ‘up hill and down straight’.^[4]

The race was run on Boxing Day from in its inception until 1958 and from then until 2006 it was on New Year's Day. Since 2006, the race is contested on the second Saturday of Auckland Cup Week at the beginning of March.

The 2021 running of the Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup will be run on Saturday 13 March at approximately 5.30pm. It is typically the second-to-last race run on the final day of Auckland Cup Week®.

For many years the Auckland Cup was the richest horse race in New Zealand. However, it has been surpassed in recent years by the New Zealand Derby and Karaka Million two year old and three year old races.

Notable Winners

The Auckland Cup has been won by such horses as:

Beau Vite (1940) who won the 1940 and 1941 Cox Plate.
Beaumaris (1950).
Castletown (1992) who also won the Wellington Cup three times.
Froth (1959).
Il Tempo (1969 and 1970) who also won the Wellington Cup in world record time of 3:16.2 for the two miles.
Jezabeel (1998) who also won the 1998 Melbourne Cup.
Kindergarten (1942) who was one of five inaugural inductees into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame.
Nelson (1885-87), an Australian champion who greeted the judge at the head of the field three times.
Yeman (1956).

Race results since 1970

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time	Second place	Third place
2020	Roger That^[5]	7	Samantha Collett	Antony Fuller	PG Allan, SB Cunningham, Mrs SH Fuller & C Squires	3:19.96	Sound	Platinum Invader
2019	Glory Days^[6]	6	Samantha Collett	Bill Thurlow	G D & P A Thurlow, B J & S A McAree	3:32.00	Five to Midnight	Blue Breeze
2018	Ladies First^[7]	5	Johnathan Parkes	Allan Sharrock	FJ & HT O'Leary	3:22.17	Five To Midnight	Wildflower
2017	Chenille	5	Leith Innes	Tony Pike	V T W Breeding Company Ltd, G & J Capes	3:22.90	El Pistola	Jacksstar
2016	El Soldado	9	Darryl Bradley	Phillip Devcich	Philip Devcich, B & C Higginson	3:21.70	Rose Of Virginia	Sacred Master
2015	Rock Diva	4	Mark Du Plessis	Tony Pike	Raffles Racing	3:21.74	King Kamada	Pondarosa Miss
2014	Who Shot Thebarman	5	Matt Cameron	Mark Oulaghan	O'Leary Brothers	3:25.28	Celtic Prince	More Than Sacred
2013	Sangster	4	Opie Bosson	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	M Bradley, M Fenwick, K Greenlees et al.	3:23.23	El Soldado	Chaparrone
2012	Shez Sinsational	4	James McDonald	Allan Sharrock	A Baeyertz, J Goodin, G MacDonald et al.	3:25.35	Spiro	Six O’Clock News
2011	Titch	6	Opie Bosson	Kevin Myers	J N Wallace	3:17.02	Showcause	Castle Heights
2010	Zavite	7	Damien Oliver	Anthony Cummings	N Falconer et al.	3:18.96	Booming	Tin Goose
2009	Spin Around	8	Vinnie Colgan	Steven Cooper	Brookby Stables	3:23.61	Mr Tipsy	Mandela
2008	Prize Lady^[8]	6	Mark Sweeney	Graeme Sanders & Debbie Sweeney	J C Wallis	3:35.09^[9]	Gallions Reach	Resolution
2007	Prize Lady	5	Mark Du Plessis	Graeme Sanders & Debbie Sweeney	J C Wallis	3:23.63	Pentane	Luckshan
2006	Pentane	4	Michael Walker	Lance O'Sullivan	M G & P A Fraher	3:21.52	Zabeat	Zarius
2005	Bazelle	5	Mark Du Plessis	Paul Jenkins	M Glennan, B Hewitt et al.	3:29.45	Bondy	Zabeat
2004	Upsetthym	5	Gemma Sliz	Karen Fursdon	Pepsi Syndicate	3:23.61	Galway Lass	My Governess
2003	Bodie	5	Noel Harris	Neil Connors	C & E M Connor	3:20.03	Oarsman	Ebony Honor
2002	Maguire	5	Scott Seamer	K Collins	Watson Bloodstock	3:21.74	Cyclades	Ebony Honor
2001	Our Unicorn	6	Michael Coleman	C Alderson	K L & K K Yam	3:26.91	Ebony Honor	Nikisha
2000	Able Master	4	Grant Cooksley	Bruce Wallace	Able International Syndicate	3:22.34	Second Coming	In My Time
1999	Irish Chance	5	Noel Harris	Colin Jillings & R Yuill	Sir Michael Fay & Sir Patrick Hogan	3:21.91	Shans Beau	Mulqueen
1998	Jezabeel	5	Opie Bosson	Brian Jenkins	A Burr & B Jenkins & P Tatham	3:19.97	Aerosmith	North Lady
1997	Yobro (Aus) 52.25	6	Grant Cooksley	Kirk W Roberts, Rosehill	Ross M Nichols	3:23.02	Interval 51.5	Regal Chief 53.5
1996	Senator		Mark Sweeney	Jack Tims	Jack Tims^[10]	3:19.4	Maxam	Wigan Prince
1995	Royal Tiara	5m	Sarah Campbell	SJ & Trevor McKee, Takanini	J A Wells	3:21.24	Popsy	All In Fun
1994	Miltak	4	Lance O'Sullivan	David & Paul O’Sullivan	Miltak Syndicate	3:18.80	Discard	Tethys
1993	Ligeiro 49	4	Lance O'Sullivan	J D Georgetti	Mrs D, JD, LD & Mrs SJ Georgetti	3:18.18	Prince Haze 51.5	Ultimate Aim 50
1992	Castletown 57	5	Noel Harris	P M Busuttin	PM Busuttin, B J McCahill & KP Morris	3:24.10	Lurestina 50	Cool Reception 49
1991	Star Harvest 50	7	Jim Collett	Bernard J Dyke	A Phil & Doug J & Paul F Gollan & Ernie W C Morgan	3:22.70	Shugar 50.5	Coconut Ice 51
1990	Miss Stanima 48.5	5	Maree Lyndon	Murray Baker	Larry W Dallimore & Kevin J Picone	3:23.10	Flying Luskin 50.25	All Nighter 49.25
1989	Spyglass 50.8	4	G L Cooksley		D G S & G S & J C S Bayley	3:27.36	Plume d’Or Veille 51.3	Dark Moments
1988	Sea Swift 51.3	6	Chris Johnson		R I Agnew, D M Williams & the Estate of J B Thomson	3:15.66	Daria's Fun 50.5	Shannon Lad 49
1987	Kotare Chief 50.5	8	R W (Jock) Caddigan	Harold & Peter Ryan, Waharoa	Sir Richard Bolt & Harold Ryan	3:16.63	Twelve Gauge 51.5	Threesome 51.25
1986	Kerry Lane 51	6	Gary J Grylls	D N Couchman	Barry G & Mrs Dierdre G Neville-White & Peter J and Mrs Sharon G Walker	3:23.87	Duanette’s Girl 52.5	Final Advance 47
1985	Secured Deposit 53.5	5	Neil J Hain	Neville G Atkins, Waiuku	Neville G Atkins, Eileen M Mackley & Dale J Ralph	3:17.18	Kotare Chief 48.5	Otakiri Maid 52
1984	Stylish Dude 52.5	6	Greg Childs	H Roger McGlade, Taupo	Ross A Parker, John S Sheffield, David J Taylor & Mrs Sue I McKenzie	3:21.06	Gun For Fun 51	Fountaincourt 57
1983	Fountaincourt 50.5	4	Phillip Smith	Cyril Pfefferie, Trentham	Graham A Hodson, Peter J Madden and Ash N Paul	3:20.59	Maurita 49	Daisy 53.5
1982	Chimbu 50	5	Philip R Alderman	Lance R Douglas & Alan L Jones, Cambridge	Mr J R H (Bob) and Mrs Lynsey Nolan	3:23.44	The Twinkle 53.5	Ruanuku 51.5
1981	Drum 57.5	5	Chris P McNab	Don Sellwood, Hastings	G Pat Donnelly, Ken H and Wayne K Pike and D G Sellwood	3:21.80	Decibel 49	Northfleet 52
1980	Blue Denim 51	4	Robert Vance	Dave O’Sullivan, Matamata	Phil H P Bayley and V Trevor Bennett	3:25.70	Magistrate 54.5	Reading 49
1979	Tamboura 52.5	5	Robert Vance	Brian Cameron, Tokoroa	Brian B and Mrs N J Cameron and Herb E Pearce	3:22.00	Happy Union 58	Optica 52
1978	Stylemaster 51	5	Chris P McNab	E Bill Weal, Te Awamutu	E Bill Weal	3:20.50	Harp 52	Good Lord 59
1977	Royal Cadenza	4	Bob Skelton		B O Reed & J K Robb	3:25.32
1976	Perhaps 49.5	4	Brent P Thomson	Colin Jillings	George A Jordan, Warren J Sandman and the Estate of Eric J H Shorter	3:21.14	Oopik 56	Tom’s Mate 50
1975	Kia Maia	5	John F Grylls		Tom B Mathieson	3:25
1974	Rose Mellay 49	4	Bob Skelton	R Wallace (Takanini)	Mrs Maureen Madsen	3:17.6	Battle Heights	Valiant Warrior
1973	Apollo Eleven	5	B F Andrews		J D Foote	3:20
1972	Sailing Home	6	John P Riordan	Joyce Edgar Jones	Joyce Edgar Jones	3:27	Fort Street	Monty
1971	Artifice	4	E J Didham		G H & Mrs S A Murdoch	3:20
1970	Il Tempo	7	Neil D Riordan		W Bruce Priscott	3:19	Sailing Home

Previous winners

The following are earlier winners of the Auckland Cup.^[11]

1969 – Il Tempo
1968 – Bright Chief
1967 – Royal Sheen
1966 – Apa
1965 – Lucky Son
1964 – Senor
1963 – Stipulate
1962 – Floutulla
1961 – Ruato
1960 – Marie Brizard
1959 – Froth
1958 – Red Eagle
1957 – NOT HELD
1956 – Yeman
1955 – Tesla
1954 – Arawa
1953 – Coaltown
1952 – Rev
1951 – Classowa
1950 – Beaumaris
1949 – Swanee
1948 – Frances
1947 – Balgowan
1946 – Sylis
1945 – Expanse
1944 – Foxwyn
1943 – Lord Chancellor
1942 – Kindergarten
1941 – Piastre (AUS)
1940 – Beau Vite
1939 – Cheval De Volee
1938 – Cheval De Volee
1937 – The Buzzer
1936 – Cuddle
1935 – Cuddle
1934 – Gold Trail
1933 – Minerval
1932 – Fast Passage
1931 – Admiral Drake
1930 – Motere
1929 – Concentrate
1928 – Corinax (AUS)
1927 – Rapier
1926 – Tanadees (AUS)
1925 – Rapine
1924 – Te Kara
1923 – Muraahi/Te Kara
1922 – Scion
1921 – Malaga
1920 – Starland
1919 – Karo
1918 – Mascot
1917 – Fiery Cross
1916 – Depredation
1915 – Balboa
1914 – Warstep
1913 – Sir Solo
1912 – Bobrikoff
1911 – Santa Rosa
1910 – Waimangu
1909 – All Red
1908 – All Red
1907 – Zimmerman
1906 – Master Delaval
1905 – Putty
1904 – Mahutonga
1903 – Wairiki
1902 – Siege Gun
1901 – St. Michael
1900 – Blue Jacket
1899 – Blue Jacket
1898 – Uhlan
1897 – Antares
1896 – Nestor
1895 – Anita
1894 – Lottie
1893 – Pegasus
1892 – St. Hippo
1891 – Pinfire
1890 – Crackshot
1889 – Leopold
1888 – Lochiel
1887 – Nelson (AUS)
1886 – Nelson (AUS)
1885 – Nelson (AUS)
1884 – The Poet
1883 – Salvage
1882 – Welcome Jack
1881 – King Quail
1880 – Foul Play
1879 – Ariel
1878 – Ariel
1877 – Lara
1876 – Ariel
1875 – Kingfisher
1874 – Templeton

References